Tai Cooper (Democratic) and Jimmy Diaz, Jr. (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Union County Clerk.
Following the July 16, 2026 death of longtime County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, who served more than 30 years, Democrats nominated Tai Cooper and Republicans nominated Jimmy Diaz Jr. for the November 3, 2026 general election; no primary contest was held for this office, per Union County Life and the Union County Clerk's certified general-election candidate list. The winner will serve a full five-year term rather than complete Rajoppi's remaining term, per Union County Life.
Tai Cooper (Democratic)
Cooper is chief community development officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, where she leads communications and policy engagement strategy, per the NJEDA's official biography. She previously served as deputy chief policy adviser to Governor Phil Murphy, chief policy adviser to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, senior aide to U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, and chief of staff to the mayor of Orange, per the NJEDA and Union County Life. A Fanwood resident, she holds a bachelor's degree in urban planning from Rutgers University and a master's in urban planning from NYU, per the NJEDA. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Tai Cooper.
Jimmy Diaz, Jr. (Republican)
Diaz, a Linden resident, won the Republican primary nomination for Linden mayor in June 2026 before withdrawing from that race, saying it was "in Linden's best interest to remove myself from the ballot," per Union County Life. His withdrawal from the mayoral race unified Republican support behind his county clerk candidacy, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Jimmy Diaz, Jr..
Peter Corvelli, Jr. (Democratic) and Gerardo Napolitano (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Union County Sheriff.
Democratic incumbent Peter Corvelli, seeking a fourth three-year term, won renomination with 39,798 votes (99.26%) in the June 2, 2026 primary, per the Union County Clerk's certified primary results. He faces Republican Gerardo Napolitano, who won the GOP nomination with 8,478 votes (99.15%) and previously trailed Corvelli in the 2023 general election, 62%-37%, per New Jersey Globe.
Peter Corvelli, Jr. (Democratic)Incumbent
Corvelli, a Kenilworth resident, brings more than 27 years of law enforcement experience to the sheriff's office, per the Union County Sheriff's Office. He previously served as assistant director of the Union County Department of Corrections, director of custody at the county's juvenile detention center, and completed a 30-year career with the Hillside Police Department, retiring as a sergeant in 2016, per the Sheriff's Office. He served more than seven years on the Kenilworth Borough Council before his 2017 election as sheriff, per the Sheriff's Office and New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Peter Corvelli, Jr..
Gerardo Napolitano (Republican)
Napolitano, a Cranford resident, is the certified Republican nominee for Union County Sheriff. He previously ran for the office in 2023 and was outpolled by Corvelli, 62%-37%, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Gerardo Napolitano.
Joseph C. Bodek (Democratic), Lourdes Leon (Democratic), Michele S. Delisfort (Democratic), Cathy Jakositz (Republican), Christopher G. Bacey (Republican) and Miguel A. Rodriguez (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Union County Commissioner.
Three seats up for three-year terms. Democratic incumbents Joseph Bodek (Chairman), Lourdes Leon, and Michele Delisfort won renomination in the June 2, 2026 primary (Leon 35,021 votes/35.81%, Delisfort 31,773/32.49%, Bodek 30,451/31.14%), per the Union County Clerk's certified primary results. They face Republicans Cathy Jakositz (7,270 votes/35.08%), Christopher Bacey (6,719/32.42%), and Miguel Rodriguez (6,626/31.97%) in November, per the same results. Republicans have not won a Union County commissioner (formerly freeholder) seat since 1995, per New Jersey Globe.
Joseph C. Bodek (Democratic)Incumbent
Bodek, of Linden, is Chairman of the Union County Board of County Commissioners, elected to the board in 2023, per the county's official commissioner biography. He worked as a store manager for Meat City Companies, spent more than 30 years as clerk to the Union County Utilities Authority overseeing solid waste operations, and served more than a decade as City Clerk of Linden, per the same source. He began public service in 1981 as a Linden Board of Education member. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Joseph C. Bodek.
Lourdes Leon (Democratic)Incumbent
Leon, a lifelong Elizabeth resident born in Cuba who immigrated with her parents in 1971, was elected to the Union County Board of County Commissioners in 2020, becoming the first Hispanic woman elected to the board, per the county's official commissioner biography. She spent more than 27 years in the Elizabeth School District, starting as a teacher's aide and rising to Principal of the Donald Stewart Early Childhood Center, before retiring from education in 2013, per the same source. She holds a master's degree in educational administration from Kean University. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Lourdes Leon.
Michele S. Delisfort (Democratic)Incumbent
Delisfort, of Union Township, is a Union County Commissioner and President of the American Planning Association-New Jersey Chapter, with 30 years of experience in urban planning and redevelopment, per the county's official commissioner biography. She previously served as Mayor of Union Township, where she oversaw redevelopment investments and led the township's COVID-19 pandemic response, per the same source. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Michele S. Delisfort.
Cathy Jakositz (Republican)
Jakositz, of Mountainside, is a former Mountainside Board of Education member. This is her second campaign for Union County Commissioner, after losing to the Democratic slate in 2023, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Cathy Jakositz.
Christopher G. Bacey (Republican)
Bacey, of Union Township, is a public relations specialist. This is his second bid for Union County Commissioner, after losing to the Democratic slate in 2025, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Christopher G. Bacey.
Miguel A. Rodriguez (Republican)
Rodriguez, of Elizabeth, is a member of the Union County Republican Committee running for county commissioner, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Miguel A. Rodriguez.
Carlos Torres (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, First Ward.
Incumbent Democrat Carlos Torres is unopposed; no Republican filed, per the Union County Clerk's certified November 3, 2026 candidate list and the City of Elizabeth's council roster.
Carlos Torres (Democratic)
Carlos Torres appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, First Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Carlos Torres.
Isaias J. Rivera (Democratic) and Glenn Maldonado (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Second Ward.
Democrat Isaias Rivera won a four-candidate primary for the seat being vacated by retiring member Nelson Gonzalez and faces Republican Glenn Maldonado in November, per New Jersey Globe and the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list.
Isaias J. Rivera (Democratic)
Rivera has worked since 2013 in workforce development through the Union County Workforce System and small-business support, per his campaign site. He has served on the Elizabeth Planning Board since 2013, the Elizabeth Board of Education since 2023, and as Second Ward Democratic Committee member since 2017, per InsiderNJ.
Priorities: Support minority- and women-owned business certification and responsible development along South Broad Street, Bayway Avenue, and Elmora Avenue · Improve street lighting, traffic safety, and community policing, and push for full use of the Bayway Avenue firehouse to improve emergency response times · Increase civic participation through multilingual communication and hybrid community-watch meetings (per the campaign site)
Glenn Maldonado (Republican)
Glenn Maldonado appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Second Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Glenn Maldonado.
Kevin Kiniery (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Third Ward.
Incumbent Democrat Kevin Kiniery is unopposed; no Republican filed, per the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list and the City of Elizabeth's council roster.
Kevin Kiniery (Democratic)
Kevin Kiniery appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Third Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Kevin Kiniery.
Carlos Cedeno (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Fourth Ward.
Incumbent Democrat Carlos Cedeno is unopposed; no Republican filed, per the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list and the City of Elizabeth's council roster.
Carlos Cedeno (Democratic)
Carlos Cedeno appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Fourth Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Carlos Cedeno.
William Gallman, Jr. (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Fifth Ward.
Incumbent Democrat William Gallman Jr. is unopposed; no Republican filed, per the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list and the City of Elizabeth's council roster.
William Gallman, Jr. (Democratic)
William Gallman, Jr. appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Fifth Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for William Gallman, Jr..
Frank O. Mazza (Democratic) and Janei Holder (Independent) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Sixth Ward.
Incumbent Democrat Frank Mazza, who has served on the council since 2006 (and previously from 1984 to 1996), faces independent Janei Holder; no Republican filed, per New Jersey Globe, the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list, and the City of Elizabeth's council roster.
Frank O. Mazza (Democratic)
Mazza first won a seat on the Elizabeth City Council in 1984, served 12 years, and returned to the council in 2006, per New Jersey Globe. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Frank O. Mazza.
Janei Holder (Independent)
Janei Holder appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, Sixth Ward, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Janei Holder.
Georgette Gonzalez Lugo (Democratic) and John Alves (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, At-Large (Unexpired Term).
Democrat Georgette Gonzalez Lugo, sworn in as an at-large councilwoman in July 2026, faces Republican John Alves for the remainder of the term, per TAPinto, the City of Elizabeth, and the Union County Clerk's certified candidate list.
Georgette Gonzalez Lugo (Democratic)
Gonzalez Lugo, a lifelong Elizabeth resident, is Principal of New Brunswick Middle School after more than two decades in education, per the City of Elizabeth's official biography. She has served on the Elizabeth Planning Board since 2008 and in 2021 became the first woman to chair the board, per the same source. She holds two master's degrees, including one in educational administration from New Jersey City University, and was sworn in as an at-large councilwoman in July 2026, per TAPinto. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Georgette Gonzalez Lugo.
John Alves (Republican)
John Alves appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Elizabeth City Council, At-Large (Unexpired Term), per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for John Alves.
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Union County 2026 election questions
Who is on the ballot in Union County, New Jersey on November 3, 2026?
Union County, New Jersey sample ballot for November 3, 2026: County Clerk and 9 more races, 20 candidates with bios and priorities. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in New Jersey?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Jersey are listed on the New Jersey election hub. New Jersey election hub →
How do I see my exact Union County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
